Simple cranberry sauce vegan recipe with fresh cranberries and sugar - perfect for your holiday table.
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If you're after the best easy homemade cranberry sauce (vegan recipe) that tastes like the classic you grew up with, this cranberry sauce vegan recipe is exactly that. It sticks to the simple, tried-and-tested combination of fresh cranberries, a cup of sugar and water, with the option of a little orange zest or a cinnamon stick for holiday spice. It's quick, reliable and ideal for your vegan Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas dinner.
Before we get to the main content, let's be honest: finding a straightforward recipe online can feel like a maze. You click through open menu buttons, open navigation go, open settings menu, user menu, random phone number pop-ups, navigation collapse navigation and a close button that never seems to work. Sometimes you end up lost in the heart of the internet, scrolling through the world of communities on Reddit home, top posts of November and tiny lines about reddit rules privacy policy user agreement accessibility when all you really want is your own cranberry sauce on the holiday table. Think of this post as the calm answers section: no fuss, just a homemade version you can trust.
About The Ingredients
The beauty of this homemade cranberry sauce recipe is that the main ingredients are incredibly simple and easy to find in any grocery store:
- Fresh cranberries (or frozen) - These jewel-like berries are low in calories and rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, which give them their deep red colour.
- Granulated sugar - One full cup of sugar balances the tartness of the cranberries. To keep this firmly in the "cranberry sauce vegan" camp, choose a brand that's clearly vegan or labelled organic cane sugar, as some white sugar can be processed using bone char from animal skin and bones in certain countries.
- Water - The amount of water is set at one cup, which helps the cranberries burst and turn into a glossy sauce.
- Optional orange zest or a cinnamon stick - Just enough to give a gentle holiday spice aroma without changing the classic flavour too much.
Everything goes into one medium saucepan, and apart from a wooden spoon and maybe a potato masher, you don't need any special equipment. The result is an easy vegan cranberry sauce that feels festive enough for a holiday meal, but simple enough to make on busy weeknights when you want something special alongside savoury dishes.
You will need:
- fresh or frozen cranberries
- granulated sugar
- water
- Optional: orange zest or a cinnamon stick for flavour
For exact quantities see the recipe card below.
A note on sugar, bone char and making it vegan
Cranberries themselves are completely plant-based, but standard white sugar and some brown sugar can be processed using bone char (charred animal bones) to get that bright white colour, especially in the US.
To keep this firmly in the "cranberry sauce vegan" camp:
- Choose organic cane sugar, beet sugar, coconut sugar, or another brand clearly labelled vegan.
- In the UK, most sugar is naturally bone char-free anyway, but it's still worth checking if you're unsure.
- If you want to avoid refined sugars altogether, see the variations below for a date syrup or all-maple option.
Step-by-step: how to make this vegan cranberry sauce recipe
You'll just need a medium saucepan (or sauce pan), a wooden spoon and about 15 minutes.
Combine the ingredients
Add the cranberries, 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water to a medium saucepan. If you're using the optional orange zest or cinnamon stick, add that now too.
Bring to a boil
Place the sauce pan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally to help the sugar dissolve. You don't need very high heat here - steady bubbles are perfect.
Simmer until berries burst
Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer. The cranberries will start to pop and burst as they cook, and the mixture will gradually thicken into a sauce.
Adjust the texture
Prefer a smoother sauce? Use a potato masher to crush the cranberries gently, or briefly blend with an immersion blender for a more homemade cranberry jam style texture. For a chunky cranberry relish recipe feel, mash less.
Cool the sauce
Remove the pan from the heat and let the cranberry sauce cool completely at room temperature. It will continue to thicken as the cranberry sauce cools. If you used a cinnamon stick, fish it out at this point.
Serve or store
Once cooled, transfer your homemade vegan cranberry sauce to a serving dish or airtight container. It can be served immediately or kept in the fridge until your holiday dinner.
This is the core cranberry sauce vegan recipe exactly as written, with no extra ingredients added. Any twists, swaps or extra flavours live in the variations below, so you can always come back to this original homemade version.
Print📖 Recipe
The Best Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce (Vegan Recipe)
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Simple cranberry sauce vegan recipe with fresh cranberries and sugar - perfect for your holiday table.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces (1 bag) fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- Optional: ½ teaspoon orange zest or a cinnamon stick for flavour
Instructions
-
Combine the ingredients
Add the cranberries, 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water to a medium saucepan. If you're using the optional orange zest or cinnamon stick, add that now too. -
Bring to a boil
Place the sauce pan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally to help the sugar dissolve. You don't need very high heat here - steady bubbles are perfect. -
Simmer until berries burst
Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer. The cranberries will start to pop and burst as they cook, and the mixture will gradually thicken into a sauce. -
Adjust the texture
Prefer a smoother sauce? Use a potato masher to crush the cranberries gently, or briefly blend with an immersion blender for a more homemade cranberry jam style texture. For a chunky cranberry relish recipe feel, mash less. -
Cool the sauce
Remove the pan from the heat and let the cranberry sauce cool completely at room temperature. It will continue to thicken as the cranberry sauce cools. If you used a cinnamon stick, fish it out at this point.
-
Serve or store
Once cooled, transfer your homemade vegan cranberry sauce to a serving dish or airtight container. It can be served immediately or kept in the fridge until your holiday dinner.
Notes
This is the core cranberry sauce vegan recipe exactly as written, with no extra ingredients added. Any twists, swaps or extra flavours live in the variations below, so you can always come back to this original homemade version.
Variations and substitutions
Here are some optional ideas if you'd like to customise the flavour or sweetness while keeping the base recipe the same.
Make the sugar more obviously vegan
The original recipe calls for a cup of sugar, which can be:
- Organic cane sugar - A great vegan-friendly option.
- Coconut sugar - Adds a deeper, caramel-like note and a touch more natural sweetness.
- Brown sugar - Gives a slightly richer flavour and colour.
If you're in a country where some white sugar may be filtered with bone char, check the label or brand website to be sure it's vegan-friendly.
Reduce refined sugars
To cut down on refined sugars while still using the same base method:
- Replace part of the 1 cup of sugar with maple syrup or date syrup. For example, ½ cup sugar and ½ cup maple syrup.
- For extra fruitiness, swap some of the water for apple juice or orange juice, then taste and adjust the sugar if needed.
Just remember that any changes here are variations - the original recipe is simply sugar and water.
Extra flavour ideas
The optional orange zest or cinnamon stick already brings a lovely holiday spice, but you can play around with:
- A pinch of ground cinnamon or ginger with the sugar.
- A little extra orange zest added over the top just before serving.
- A splash of lemon juice stirred in at the end for extra tanginess, as suggested in the original tips.
Texture tweaks
- For a thick, spoonable homemade cranberry jam style sauce, simmer a little longer so more liquid evaporates.
- For a looser sauce that runs slightly over your main course, stop simmering a tad earlier or add a tablespoon or two of water while it's still warm.
Serving suggestions
This easy vegan cranberry sauce is a great side dish that brings colour and brightness to so many plates on the holiday table.
Try serving it:
- With your main course at a vegan Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas day feast, alongside vegan sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole and vegan stuffing.
- As a contrast to rich savoury dishes, like a nut roast, lentil loaf or a plant-based main that you'd usually serve canned sauce with.
- In leftover form: swirl leftover cranberry sauce into porridge, yoghurt or overnight oats, or spread it in sandwiches with all the trimmings from your holiday meal.
- As a quick topping for pancakes, waffles or desserts when you need a hit of holiday flavour outside the holiday season.
My favourite way might still be the simplest: a spoonful cold from the fridge with a little extra zest on top.
Storage, freezing and leftovers
One of the best things about this vegan cranberry sauce recipe is how well it keeps.
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Freezer: Spoon into a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2-3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight before serving.
- Room temperature: For serving, you can bring it out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for a short while if you prefer it softer.
- Leftover cranberry sauce ideas: Turn leftover cranberry sauce into a glaze for roasted vegetables, a quick dressing with olive oil and lemon, or a layer in desserts and trifles.
FAQs about this cranberry sauce vegan recipe
Is cranberry sauce always vegan?
Not always. While cranberries and water are naturally vegan, some sugars can be processed with bone char from animal skin and bones, and certain jellied desserts may contain gelatine. To keep your cranberry sauce vegan, choose clearly vegan sugar or organic cane sugar and stick to this simple ingredients list.
How can I make this into an easy vegan cranberry sauce with less refined sugar?
You can keep the same method and replace part of the cup of sugar with maple syrup or date syrup. Just remember this is a variation - the original recipe uses 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water.
Can I use frozen cranberries instead of fresh?
Yes, fresh cranberries or frozen both work perfectly. There's no need to defrost them first; just tip them straight into the medium saucepan and cook as directed.
Can I double this homemade vegan cranberry sauce for a big holiday dinner?
Absolutely. For a larger holiday dinner, simply double or triple all the ingredients, keeping the same ratios. Use a larger sauce pan and allow a little extra time for the cranberries to come up to a boil.
Can I use this as a cranberry relish recipe or only as a sauce?
This recipe makes a smooth-but-textured sauce, but you can mash less for a chunkier, relish-style texture or blend more for something closer to a spread or jam. It's very flexible.
What's the difference between this and the canned version from the grocery store?
Canned sauce is convenient, but it often contains high fructose corn syrup and can be overly sweet. With this homemade vegan cranberry sauce, you control the sweetness and know exactly what's going into the pan.
Conclusion
With just fresh cranberries, a cup of sugar, water and a little optional holiday spice, this cranberry sauce vegan recipe proves that you don't need a long ingredient list to get that perfect balance of sweet and tart. It's an easy, reliable homemade cranberry sauce recipe that works for vegan Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas dinner and every holiday meal in between.
Once you've nailed the original, you can play with the variations - maple syrup, brown sugar, coconut sugar or extra citrus - but it's this simple homemade version that you'll come back to year after year.
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